The Teahouse For The Budget Bride

Wednesday, November 14, 2012 notice to Vancity Bride readers: The Teahouse has made significant changes to their pricing since this article was posted, including new room rental fees in addition to the minimum spend amount of $7,000 during peak season. Offseason minimum spends are now quoted on a case by case basis. The Teahouse is still a beautiful venue that I will continue to recommend; however, I find it would be suitable for brides with a higher budget. If you’re still interested in this venue, please contact the catering department (email teahouseevents@vancouverdine.com or call 604-669-3281) to get an accurate quote for your event.

Stanley Park is well known for its natural beauty, with its lush trees, open water and gorgeous sunsets. Nestled amongst those trees is one of Vancouver’s popular wedding destinations, the Teahouse restaurant. I was given a tour of the facility and here’s what I found…

The Teahouse is perfect for intimate weddings. Three rooms are available for private functions: the Drawing Room, the Tea Room (middle section of the restaurant) and the Conservatory. The Tea Room and the Drawing Room can seat 40 and 50 guests respectively. They both share the main restaurant entrance but the Drawing Room has added privacy thanks to its double French doors. The Conservatory is their largest room and fits 60-65 guests for dinner comfortably, but can hold a maximum of 70. Note that the whole restaurant cannot be bought out, a portion will always be open to the public, but they assure me that the booked rooms will be closed to everyone not part of that event. Both the Drawing Room and the Conservatory have big windows that overlook Ferguson Point but the Conservatory’s walls and roof are made of glass. With the shades open it’s as if you’re dining underneath the trees, adding a whole new ambience to your event. The room also has its own entrance, which is connected to a greenspace called the Conservatory Green.

The Conservatory Green can be used as a ceremony space or outdoor cocktail area and can only be reserved by those booking the Conservatory. Use of this space requires a permit that costs $400 which allows for food and beverage to be brought outside, they can help arrange that for you. Ceremonies have been set up facing towards the garden, but they are flexible to the bride and groom’s wishes. Nearby Ferguson Point is also available for ceremonies but you have to obtain a permit through the Vancouver Parks Board to use it. Their Plan B, in case it rains and you don’t have a tent, is to have the ceremony inside in front of the fireplace; however, the tables will already be set up for dinner and guests will have to sit at their respective tables. Of course, you don’t have to have your ceremony at the Teahouse, you can always book it for your reception only.

There are no room rental fees but there is a minimum spend amount on food and beverage (prior to tax and gratuity). During peak season (Friday to Sunday in July and August), you must meet the $7,000 requirement. During non-peak season (October til end of November, January to April), there is no minimum spend amount. No two weddings will be on-site at the same time but they do back-to-back daytime and evening weddings regularly. Daytime functions start at 11:30am (10:30 on Sundays) and end at 3:30pm; 2 hours later, the evening functions starts and wraps up at 1 in the morning. Setup begins an hour before the event and the Teahouse provides the following items for you: tables, chairs, linens, napkins, glassware, place settings, votives, personalized menus, table numbers and stands, easels, and a cake knife. While a buffet option isn’t available, they can set up food stations of meat, seafood or other plattered foods, should you wish to add these items to your menu.

Each room has its own set of speakers which you can hook up an iPod to from the managers’ office for dinner music or dancing. The only thing they request is for you to make your playlists, clearly label them (ceremony, dinner, dance, etc.), and make sure you have enough songs to last your entire event. Policy states that music can’t be played too loud until 10pm, which is why they encourage dancing to begin at that time. The Teahouse does not charge a SOCAN fee if you have a DJ or are bringing in an MP3 player for music, but if you want dancing in the Conservatory, you must rent a dance floor, which they are more than happy to help you find. If you’re booking the other rooms, a dance floor is not required. Only non-amplified music is allowed but there are outlets by the Conservatory’s private entrance should you wish to bring speakers outside for the ceremony.

The Teahouse has great options for budget brides. As I mentioned earlier, booking during non-peak season doesn’t require a minimum spend. If you’re interested in the Conservatory during peak season, on Mondays thru Thursdays, the minimum spends are only $2,500 for lunch and $4,000 for dinner. Stat holidays that fall on a Monday have a regular Monday rate and are not bumped up to weekend rate status, so that’s another affordable option. Entree prices are for 3 course meals and don’t go higher than $46 for lunch and $55 for dinner, but their brunch menu is the most affordable at $25 per person. Consider bringing in cupcakes or substitute your wedding cake instead of the dessert course to save an extra $1.50/person cake plating fee. Take advantage of their MP3 hookup, it’ll save you from hiring a DJ or renting any extra speakers. Your MP3 player will be kept in a secure location for seamless music playback.

If you wish to set up an appointment to see this beautiful space, contact teahouseevents@vancouverdine.com or call 604-669-3281. They’re open everyday for lunch and dinner so pop by with your future hubby and consider it a preview of the quality of food and service you’ll be receiving on your wedding day.

All photos courtesy Jamie Delaine PhotographyPrices quoted are accurate to the posted date. Vendor prices are subject to change.

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Comments

I made a booking of the Drawing Room for our wedding lunch in March (off peak) and they did not require a minimum spending. However, when I requested to move to the Conservatory Room because we have now more guests, they do require minimum spending of $3000 before tax and tips. So be aware !

I’m so sorry to hear that Lydia. Everything I wrote in this article is accurate to the date I posted it in September 2011, and as I mentioned at the bottom of the article, vendor prices are subject to change. I just spoke to The Teahouse and they mentioned that 2013 rates will be different from these rates quoted here.

To be clear, all venue articles are approved by the vendors themselves to ensure accuracy, at time of posting.

Unfortunately, prices are significantly higher now. Here is a reply for a request for the afternoon sitting in May, 2012

“For your event I would like to suggest the Drawing Room which seats a maximum of 50 guests. The Drawing Room has vaulted ceilings, hard wood floors, skylights, fireplace and large windows facing the ocean.

I am pleased to advise you that you would not be charged to use this room. The only requirement would be that your food and beverage bill reach a minimum amount prior to taxes and gratuity. This amount varies depending on the date and time of the event. The minimum spend for dinner (5:30pm-1:00am) on Saturday May 11 2013 is $4500 before tax and gratuity.”

This is a lovely site, but perhaps it’s time to rework your commentary? While the Teahouse might still be somewhat cost effective, it’s certainly not budget!

I’m booked for a Thursday lunch in 2013 in the conservatory and the minimum food/ drink spend is $2500 before tip and tax. It may not be as convenient for some but for our small ceremony of close family, booking on an “off” day and time saves a lot! Don’t write off this location if you’re willing to be flexible. It’s SO beautiful & the food is worth it

Also, note that they WILL double book two weddings at the same time!! We booked for this fall, and just found out that a wedding will be held at the same date and time, which is immensely disappointing given the small size of the venue and the inevitable overlap. We are disappointed enough that we are considering making a last minute change and forfeiting our deposit.